A common problem with power tools, particularly portable power tools of the mid-handle configuration having a “jam-pot” construction, concerns the ability with which a power tool so constructed may be assembled. Typically, power tools having a jam-pot construction are assembled in a process wherein the subcomponents which form the wiring are initially installed into a first jam-pot opening and thereafter, the subcomponents are feed out through a second jam-pot opening.
An often and time-consuming operation in this process concerns the connection of the wires from a power source such as a cord or a battery pack to the trigger switch and motor assembly. In a mid-handle tool, the connection of these wires can require that the tool be reoriented multiple times. The assembly operation is such that the wires are fed through a narrow opening in the housing to later be connected to the field and brushes. The tool must be reoriented to make these connections. Additionally, mid-handle tools require an opening in the housing from the handle area to the field area to allow the wires to pass through. This opening causes the motor fan to circulate some air in the handle portion, which degrades its ability to move air through the motor for cooling.